US2923499A - Anti-stall system for airplanes - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 2, 1960 K. J. DINARD 2,923,499

ANTI-STALL SYSTEM FOR AIRPLANES Filed May 51, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOENE Y5:

1960 K. J. DINARD 2,923,499

ANTI-STALL SYSTEM FOR AIRPLANES Filed May 31, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 r IIIIIIII ay INVENTOR.

Feb. 2, 1950 DlNARD 2,923,499

ANTI-STALL SYSTEM FOR AIRPLANE-S Filed May 51, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTOR. K/FNA/ETH J. D/NAED BYM/ M, Mk m ,4 TTOE/VEYS.

1960 K. J. DINARD ANTI-STALL SYSTEM FOR AIRPLANES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 31, 1957 INVENT OR. Kim/v57 J. D/NA E0. MW,

ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 2, 1960 K. .1. DINARD 2,923,499

ANTI-STALL SYSTEM FOR AIRPLANES Filed May 31, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

J. NARD ',4(I I I k V AT OE'NEKS'.

I an electrical circuit may be made or broken United States Patent ANTI-STALL SYSTEM FOR AIRPLANES i Kenneth J. Dinard, Cleveland, Ohio Application May 31, 1957, Serial No. 662,838

6 Claims. (Cl. 244-76) This invention relates to a control system for aircraft of the heavier-than-air type.

The conventional airplane is provided with various movable airfoils other than the wing itself; for example, elevators, ailerons, wing flaps and the like. The proper use of these movable airfoils requires the exercise of judgment by the pilot, for their misuse can quickly cause a condition in which the airplane will no longer operate as desired. An example is stalling of the kind that tends to occur if, at an air speed below a predeterminable minimum, the pilot operates the elevators in such manner as to bring about too steep a climb. A like condition obtains during landing, when their operation at a time when the airplane lacks suflicient forward speed can cause the airplane to stall.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a control system that prevents erratic flight as a result of injudicious action by the pilot, as in seeking to put the airplane into a steep climb at a time when the forward speed of the airplane is below a safe minimum. To this end, the invention provides automatic means for over-riding the action of the pilot. Thus a correction can be brought about regardless of the action or non- .action of the pilot, giving him an opportunity, if he desires to avail himself of it, to increase the forward speed of the airplane to a point where it becomes feasible to climb'at the contemplated angle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a system of this kind in which certain components of a performanee indicator; e.g. the airspeed indicator, are coupled to major components of the system as a whole. With this in mind, the airspeed indicater can be and preferably is provided with means by which, at a predetermined air speed, a circuit is established or dis-established which has the function of bringing over-riding means into effective operation. For example, by incorporating in the airspeed indicator fixed and movable contacts by means ofwhich it is possible, in a simple, practical way, to initiate a high degree of automatic control over the operation of the airplane.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows and from the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of an airplane embodying the control system of the present invention.

Figures 2 to 5 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the control system in one of its preferred forms.

Figure 6 is a section with parts in elevation through a portion of the airplane showing certain of the components of the control system.

Figure 7 is a plan on line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a section on line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a section with parts in elevation through a portion of an airplane embodying a second preferred form of the invention.

2,923,499 Patented Feb. 2, 1950 Figure 10 is an elevation of certain parts of the control system as seen from line 1010 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is an elevation of certain other parts of the control system as seen from line 1111 of Figure 9.

Figure 12 is an elevation of an airspeed indicator incorporating certain features of the invention.

Figures 13 and 14, respectively, are sections on lines 13-43 and 14-14 of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is an elevation of a modified form of airspeed indicator.

What is shown in Figure 1 is an airplane provided with a conventional fuselage 1, a conventional wing 2, and, at the trailing edge of the wing, manually movable airfoils taking the form of ailerons 3. The latter are connected by a series of links and levers, indicated generally at 4, to a forwardly directed horizontally extending rod 5 adapted for rotation, clockwise and counter-clockwise, in a steady bracket 6. At 5a rod 5 is pivoted to a manually operated control device 7, here shown as a stick surmounted by a handle 7a, by means of which rod 5 may be rotated. This rotation of rod 5 in either clockwise or counter-clockwise direction produces movement of ailerons 3.

Also connected to stick 7 is a rearwardly directed horizontally extending rod 8. It is pivoted to stick 7 at 8a to permit forward and rearward movement with stick 7. Rod 8 is connected to a system of links and levers, generally designated 9, through which a second set of airfoils, in thiscase elevators 10, may be raised and lowered. As will be apparent from Figures 1 to 5, forward movement of stick 7 brings about a lowering of the elevators; rearward movement, a raising of the elevators.

Adverting now to Figures 2 to 5, what is shown in Figure 2 is the control system of the invention at a time when elevators 10 are being held by the pilot in their raised position, thus causing the plane to climb. In Figures 3 and 4, the angle of attack is being decreased automatically by lowering elevators 10 through the action on stick 7 of certain of the mechanical components of the system. Figure 5 illustrates how, by pulling rearwardly on stick 7, the pilot may restore the parts to the original positions after the angle of attack has been reduced to a safe value. If in the meanwhile the pilot increases the air speed, as he should do, the airplane will then climb normally.

Referring again to Figure 1, it will be noted that stick 7 extends downwardly into a housing 11 which, as will appear from the detailed description which follows, takes the form of a bracket-like support for multiple range stop means later to be described. Forwardly of housing 11 is a housing 12 for a solenoid. Connected to the coil in the solenoid in such manner as to bring about movement of plunger 13 (Figures 2 to 5) is a storage battery 14. The electrical circuit connecting the solenoid and the battery includes leads (represented diagrammatically in Figures 2 to 5) extending to a panel-mounted airspeed indicator 15. As will be brought out hereinafter, the latter incorporates a switch for making and breaking the circuit.

Referring now to Figures 6 to 8, it will be observed that the lower end 7b of stick 7 projects intohousing 11 through an opening 16a in floor boards 16. On opposite sides of opening 16a are mounted two bracket-like side pieces 17. Taken together, they form housing 11. On its insideface, each of the two side pieces 17 is provided with a horizontally extending. guide. channel 18 for slidably supporting multiple range stop means taking the form of a box-like retainer ,19 of the nature-of a coupling. As appears from-Figure coupling box place by a pin 29.

vided on its lower'end7b with an end ball 21in which is formed .a' circumferential ,gslot for receiving a .swivel ring 22.. .,'I o the ,latter is attached one .end of a coil spring23..---At itsopposite end, sp ring 23 is attached by meansof ,anadjustable'p'lug 24 to the end wall of coupling box 19.. .The charnber25 in eouplingbox 19 is more or less diamondshaped, being ,formed as shown in Figure 7.

- ,,At their .forward ends, the side walls of chamber 25 are curved as at 26 to form camming surfaces provided for the purpose of restoring stick 7 to upright position if it happens to be tilted out of the vertical longitudinal planetoward one or the other of the two ailerons. Move- .ment of coupling box ,19 to the right as seen'in Figure 7 will bring about forward movement of stick '7 in the manner indicated inIFigures 2'to '4. At the sametime, if stick 7 is tilted laterally toward one or the other of the two ailerons, it will be righted by the camming action of surfaces 26.

Coupling box 19 is provided as shown in Figures 6. and 7 with a forwardly extending projection 27 in which is received a connecting shaft 28 that is held fixedly in Shaft 28 engages a rearwardly directed shaft 30 which at 31 is threaded into the proximate end of armature. 32.. The latter operates in a chamber 33 that is vented to the atmosphere through opening 3311. Within housing 12 is solenoid coil 34. It acts on armature 32 to draw itinto retracted position in chamber 33 when the circuit connecting the battery, solenoid and airspeed indicator is closed by means of the switch in the airspeed indicator.

' Atits forward end,'armature 32 carries a piston 35 fitting snugly against the side walls of a chamber 37 in housing 12. Piston 35 is provided in order to introduce Because of the previously a dashpot action into the movement of the, plunger from right to left, seen as ingFigures 2 to 7, inclusive. Whereas a vent 38 precludes the trapping of air and makes for free and easy movement of the plunger from left to right, a bleed opening 39 controlled by needle valve 40 makes for slow return of the plunger. A second opening 41, normally closed by a ball valve 42, permits air to be drawn into the space forward of piston 35. Ball valve 42 is urged into closed position by a light coil spring 43 in a spring retainer 44.

Housing '12 is provided with four -ears 45, best seen in Figure 7. 'Bolts 46, which pass through floor boards 16 into ears 45, serve to hold housing '12 in positionfbeneath the floor boards. Similar bolts 47 passing through thefloor boards into flanges 17a laterally projecting .1

on side pieces 17 serveto hold in place the bracket-like. 2

housing 11 which carries and supports coupling box 19. Housings 11 and 12 are aligned with each other as shown in Figure 7, preferably along thecenterlineof the airplane. Referring again attackis too great for the air speed as determined by airspeedindicator 15, the circuit connecting theairspeed indicator, battery andsolenoid is closed by operation, of

the switch in the airspeedindicator. This results in immediate energization of coil 34 through leads 36, which ,draws armature 32 from left to right,seenas in Figure 6. movement, is communicated, to coupling box 19 through shaft 30 and shaft connection 28, forcing it from left to right, seen as inFigure 6. Movement'of coupling box 19 firstextenids ,coil spring 23,,whichbegins to pull on;swi'vel ring. 22 on end ball 21 at the lower end of portion 7b of stick 7. This forces stick 7 to move counter-clockwiseabout. pivot 5a, seen as ,inFigures 3 to Figures 1 to 5, if the angle of and 4, thus over-riding any action, on the part .of the ,pilot inattempting to hold backlstick 7. In these circumstances/he is precluded fiomjbringing about a "stall 'to permit pling box '68 and the elements at the value, thus breaking the circuit connecting the airspeed indicator, battery and solenoid, the pilot may, if he wishes again pull back on handle 7a of stick 7, thus raising elevators 10 as'indicated in Figure 5. The clockwise movement so :imposed on the lower end 7b of stick .7 forces coupling box 19, shaft connection 28 and shaft 30 from right to left, seen asin Figure .6. .As .az-result, armature 32 and piston 35 also are forced from right to left. described dashpotaction, this movement is relatively slow,':being dependent on the rate of escape of air past needle valve 40 in bleed opening 39.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 9 to 11, the ,airplaneis operated by the pilot by means of a wheel 50"mounted on a wheel column 51 to which is connected a rearwardly extending control rod '52. Likecontrol rod8 in the previously described embodiment of the invention, the latter is connectedto the elevators. At its forward. end, it carries a yoke 53 by which, aided by pin 5341, rod 52Jand wheel column 51am pivotally inter-connected. The .wheeljis mounte'd on a rotatable shaft 54Jat the. top of the wheel column.

Shaft 54 also carries a sprocket 55 connectedby chain 56 to a like sprocket.57 on a rotatable shaft 58 at the lower end of the wheel column. Pivotpins 59journaled in brackets 68, seen in Figure l0, ,permitmovement of wheel column 51 in both forward and backward direc tions about the common axis ofthe twopivotpins. 'To this end, 'shaft 58 passes through. an opening in a block 61 atthe base of wheel c0lumn51. The connection between wheel column 51 and shaft- 54 thus is such as movement of the wheel column in directions paralleling the centerline of the airplaneyize, to the right or the left, seen as in Fign1re9. To provide for movement of the ailerons at the 'trailingedge ofthe-wing, shaft 58 mounts apulley 62 carrying cables63 ,which extend laterally'to the ailerons asindicated'in-Figure 10.

Mounted on the. inner, end of shaft 58 is'a crosspiece 64 provided with end balls 65 as 'shownin Figure 11. Adapted to cooperate'wi'th end balls 65 are camming surfaces 66 at the top of chamber 67 in retainer 68. The latter, taking the form of aycoupling-box,corre sponds to coupling box '19 'in the previously, described embodiment of the invention; howeveryit is supported for vertical rather than horizontal movement. A stout coil spring 69 interconnects shaft 58 and coupling box 68. At'the'sides of coupling 'box 68, seen asin Figure 11, are rails 70, -one of 'whichappearsin full lines in the housing for coupling box 68. 'Side pieces 72 are attached by bolts 73 (Figure 11')' to a baek plate 74,

forming a part of thefhousing, which is itself attached to floor 16 by bolts 75.

At thelower end of: coupling box 68 isa downwardly extending projection .76 .in-twhich .is held, as by a .pin 77, a shaft 78.111211. extends .downwardlyuinto solenoid.

housing 79. The :latter .-.is :provided, with ears by which it is held, .as by bolts 81, to :back plate 74. Spring 69, whichis installed under tension, ;tends topull. upward onshaft78:andtheplunger inhousing 79. The normal position of coupling box 68, shown in Figure-9, is atthe top .ofback .plate .74. .When. the'coupling box is in this position, wheel-column 51 maybe .moved forwardly or rearwardly to the extentgnecessary to operate the elevators throughrearwardly extendingcontrolrod 52. There is no possibility of interference between couforward end. of shaft 58 except as camming surfaces 66 may later be brought into 'engagement-with'endballs '65.

If. the pilot puts the airplane'in wclinlb a steep for the air speed, thus inviting astalling condition, the circuit'leading toand from airspeed indicator 15 is closed by the switch in the airspeed indicator, as a result whereof the solenoid .in housing 79 is energized. The plunger; plunger shaft and coupling box are pulled downward without regard to the wishes ofthe pilot, who may be disposed to pull rearwardly on wheel column 51. As in the case ofthe previously described embodiment of the invention, the solenoid is capable of exerting a force sufiicient to overcome any rearwardly directed force likely to be exerted by the pilot. If, in the meanwhile, the wheelhas been rotated to the right or left, seen as in Figure 10, camming surfaces 66, operating on one or the other of the two end balls 65, will tend to restore the wheelto the natural position shown in Figure 10.

Assuming that the condition requiring correction has been alleviated and that thepilot has increased the air speed, thus breaking the circuit connecting the airspeed .indicator, battery and solenoid, the plunger in the solenoid. will be released by the coil, which will no longer be energized. Thereupon spring 69, operating on coupling box 68, shaft 78 and the plunger in housing 79, will return all of these parts to the position shown in Figure 9. As in the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 6 to 8, movement of the plunger toward retracted position is prompt; its movement back to normal position is delayed by the previously'described dashpot action. The coil in the solenoid is energized and deenergized through the leads 82 shown in Figure 9, which form part of a circuit interconnecting the solenoid, battery and airspeed indicator.

A preferred form of airspeed indicator that is adapted to make and break the circuit in both embodiments of the invention is shown in Figures 12 to 14. It includes a pivotally mounted pointer 90 on a pintle 91 on which is mounted a gear 92. Meshing with the latter is a quadrant or gear segment 93 which at one end is provided with a boss 93a: see Figure 14. Gear segment 93 is carried by a supporting arm 94. The latter is provided with an enlarged end portion 94a by means of which it is mounted on a pintle 95. Air pressure differentials exerted through cooperating diaphragms (not shown) are used to rotate pintle 95. The pintle imparts a swinging movement to arm 94 and, as a result, an arcuate movement to gear segment 93.

In the path of boss 93a on gear segment 93 but not of the gear segment itself is a button 96 that is rigidly aflixed to a metal spring arm 97. The latter is mounted as shown in Figure 13. By means of a non-conducting screw 98 and a non-conducting spacer 99, it is held firmly in place in spaced relation to a plastic supporting piece 100. At the lower end of spring arm 97 is an integral tang 97a. At 101 connection is made between tang 97a and one of the leads 102 forming part of the circuit which interconnects the airspeed indicator, battery and solenoid.

Lead 102 passes out of the airspeed indicator through an opening 103 in a hollow boss 104 on the frame of the indicator. The same opening accommodates a second lead 105 connected at 106 to a similar tang 107a at the lower end of a metal strip 107 that is rigidly affixed to supporting piece 100. On the upper end of metal strip 107 is a fixed contact 108 for engagement by movable contact 109 on the upper end of spring arm 97. When boss 93a on gear segment 93 engages button 96, spring arm 97 is forced toward metal strip 107, as a result whereof movable contact 109 on spring arm 97 engages and closes the circuit through stationary contact 108 on metal strip 107. The solenoid is then energized with the results already described.

For purposes of adjustment, supporting piece 100 is provided with a laterally extending ear 110, seen in Figure 12, in which is mounted a pivot pin 111. Engaging the ends of the pivot pin is a yoke 112 to which is connected a rod 113 which extends radially toward the periphery of the airspeed indicator. At 114, rod 113 projects out of an opening in a peripheral boss 115. The projecting outer end of rod 113 is threaded as at 113a. Engaging threaded portion 113a is a setscrew 116. When the desired position of adjustment has been achieved, set screw 116 is urged into engagement with rod 113, after which lock nut 117 is tightened into position to keep the parts from working loose. Adjustment of the air speed at which contacts 108 and 109 will engage each other thus is made by moving arm 113 in or out of opening 114.

Using a performance indicator of thekind illustrated in Figures 12 to 14, the pilot can relay on one of the previously described control mechanisms to correct the normal tendency to stall the airplane by climbing too steeply at the pre-determined minimum air speed. If the pilot attempts to make the airplane climb at a still steeper angle, his effort as exerted on the manual control device; that is to say, stick 7 or wheel column 51, is over-ridden. Thus he cannot cause the plane to climb so steeply as to bring about a stall at the minimum air speed for which the switch in the airspeed indicator has been set. The action of the apparatus is automatic, causing a reduction of the angle of attack to some lesser angle that will not develop stalling.

In the modified airspeed indicator shown in Figure 15, two relatively movable parts, a firstbranch 120a and a second branch 120b, go to make up the V-shaped supporting piece 120. Coupled'to branch 120a is a yoke 121; coupled to branch 120b, a similar yoke 122. The former carries an outwardly projecting rod 123; the -latter, a similar rod 124. Where bosses 125 and 126 appear in Figure 15, the two rods pass through the frame of the airspeed indicator. The included angle between the two branches of V-shaped supporting piece 120 may be varied, if desired, so as to make the angle greater or smaller than that shown. This may be done by moving either branch independently of each other or both of them together through bosses 125 and 126, each of which is provided with an opening (not shown).

Suitable leads reach the lower ends of branches 120a and 12% through two bosses 127 and 128, each of which is provided with an opening (not shown). At 129 and 130, two of these leads connect with metal strips similar to metal strip 107. At 131 and 132, two other leads connect with spring arms 133 and 134 similar to spring arm 97. Spring arm 133 carries a button 135; spring arm 134, a button 136. Adapted to engage buttons 135 and 136 is a gear segment 137 having at its two ends bosses 137a and 1371;. Acting on one or the other of buttons 135 and 136, depending on the direction of movement,

bosses 137a and 13712 force one or the other of springarms 133 and 134 into engagement with one Or the other of the two metal strips. Gear segment 137 is carried by an arm 138 provided with an enlarged portion 138a that is mounted for rotation with a pintle 139. The action is similar to the action characterizing the airspeed indicator of Figures 12 to 14 except that gear segment 137 is adapted to close the circuit either at its left hand end or at its right hand end, seen as in Figure 15.

By operating a switch 140 that is coupled to the manual control 141 by which the wing flaps are actuated, the pilot can establish a first circuit through leads 142 and 143 and those components of the airspeed indicator that are associated with branch 120a or a second circuit through leads 144 and 145 and the components of the airspeed indicator associated with branch 12%. Utilizing the first circuit, he can introduce the desired safeguard with the wing flaps raised; the second, with the wing flaps lowered. To make this possible, it is desirable that supporting piece 120 be provided with second branch 1201: as well as first branch 120a.

The purpose of having a separate circuit to operate with wing flaps lowered is to take advantage of the imat a slower speed without stalling; therefore, the control .systemshould be set to=operate ata correspondingly slow speed. wing fiaps are usedinlanding .and sometimes at take-off; i.e., when (the vforwardspeed is relatively low.

Retractingthem in the vusual way at the proper time re- .sults in re establishing and thus making .it possible to close the original circuit through thecomponents associated with branch 120a win the manner already explained.

.It will -be .apparent that changes .in what has been described and shown may be made without departing :fromthe spiritof the .invention. Thusit is posslble to use'other coupling .means than .thehereinabove described .couplinghoxesfor connecting the manually operated controlcolumn and the motor means by which the control column .is .moved. Such motor .means need not neces- ,sarily take thetjform of a.s'olenoid but. may, if desired, take .thefformofmeans of some other ,kind capable ofproducjing-the desired movemennturther, themotormeans may, if desired,be of a kind operating indirectly on the major .mechanical components of the system. Other changes in the system and in its components, including the performance indicator, maybe expected .of those. skilled in the .art to which the invention relates.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, "bysummari- ,zationin appended claims, allteatures ofpatentable novelty residing in the invention.

Whatis claimed is:

.1. In an aircraft of thelheavier than-air type, an air- 'frameprovided with aperformance-indicating .instrumen't; an airfoil which ,formspart .o'ffbut is movable in relation to the airframe asa whole; means positively connected to the. airfoil for producing movement of the airfoil, such .means including arnanually operablecontrol device .ac-

cessible to theoperator .of the aircraitpmultiple range stop, means -.movably positioned tollimit', operation of the control device to which [the control device". is mechanical- 1y connected; .motor means connectedftoj-the stop means; and ane'lectr'ical c'ircuit for actuating and ldea'ctuating the motor means thatiscutlinto, and'jout of operation under predetermined ffiig'ht conditions by said f per'fo rmanceindicatingins'trument. i '2. An aircraft take the form of a "box-like retainer receiving Ia portion of the manually operable control device. I

3.,An aircraft as in claim '1 in which the stop means are provided with tcamming' surfaces for" engaging a portion of themanually operated/controldeviceL 4. Anaircraft as in claim, l in .whichthemotortakes the form of a solenoid provided with a retractable armature..operating withina stationary coil..

5; .An aircraft asin claim'4 in which provided with means for facilitatingrmovement of the armature intofitsretractedposition.

6. An aircrafttas inclaim 1in which the s'o'len'o'idtis provided with meanstor delaying return of .the armature to non-retracted position.

References Cited in the fileofi this patent UNITED STAIEStPATENTS 1,832,159 Vanderlip... 'Nov. 17,,1931 11,897,285 Veit. Feb. 14, 1933 2,297,412 Hoppe Sept. 29; 1942 2,630,284 'Feeney Mar. 3, 1953 2,678,177 Chenery et al May 11, 1954 1 2,780,686 Elliott :Y'Feb. 5, *1957 asin claim lfin whichthe stop means thellsolenoid is t

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